Digital Assets

    Stablecoins

    HKMA Grants First Stablecoin Licences to HSBC, StanChart-led JV

    By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 10/04/2026

    The HKMA has issued its first two stablecoin licences under a new ordinance, setting a high bar for future applicants.

    Stablecoins

    Korean Firms Pilot Stablecoin Payments for Foreigners Amid Regulatory Delay

    By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 10/04/2026

    Financial and payment firms are using a regulatory loophole to test stablecoin services for foreign visitors, building infrastructure ahead of new digital asset laws.

    Stablecoins

    KBank Launches Blockchain QR Payments in Singapore with Grab and StraitsX

    By Editors | 10/04/2026

    The service uses a KBank e-money and a Singapore-dollar stablecoin for instant settlement, operating within Thai and Singaporean regulatory sandboxes.

    Cryptocurrency

    Coinbase Becomes First Global Crypto Firm to Secure AFS Licence in Australia

    By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 10/04/2026

    The exchange has won a key Australian licence for derivatives and equities, as well as conditional approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

    Cryptocurrency

    Regulatory Harmony Needed to Fully Unlock Digital Assets

    By Manesh Samtani | 10/04/2026

    Fragmented rules create operational hurdles and risks, even as institutional and private wealth demand in Asia accelerates, says Sygnum’s APAC CEO, Gerald Goh.

    KYC & CDD

    Thailand SEC Unveils Sweeping Measures to Curb Illicit Funds

    By Sanday Chongo Kabange | 10/04/2026

    The SEC is enhancing KYC, digital asset oversight, and shareholder scrutiny in a national agenda to combat mule accounts and investment scams.

    Stablecoins

    Hong Kong Quietly Positions Itself as Stablecoin Hub for China

    By Blake Evans-Pritchard | 09/04/2026

    With licenses imminent, the city is betting it can lead in digital assets without sacrificing financial stability.

    Cryptocurrency

    Think Tank Urges Taiwan to Adopt Bitcoin as Strategic Reserve

    By Mark Johnston | 09/04/2026

    A new report argues Bitcoin could provide financial resilience against a potential China conflict, despite the central bank's previous rejection.

    Anti-Money Laundering

    US Proposes New AML and Sanctions Rules for Stablecoin Issuers

    By Manesh Samtani | 09/04/2026

    The US Treasury has issued a proposed rule that would bring certain stablecoin issuers under a federal regulatory framework.

    Fraud, Scams & Cybercrime

    DeFi Platform Drift’s $285m Hack Traced to DPRK-Linked Attack

    By Nithya Subramanian | 09/04/2026

    The attack, attributed to North Korea, combined a months-long intelligence operation with a sophisticated technical exploit, sparking debate over the role of stablecoin issuers in preventing theft.

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